Riding the wave of the Paris 2024 Olympics, many "Made in China" products are stepping onto the international stage. The Olympics serve as a crucial opportunity for footwear and apparel brands worldwide to demonstrate their products and brand strength, with fierce competition unfolding at the Paris Games.

'Made in Guangdong' shines on the global stage

The table tennis matches are in full swing. At the side of the court, the referee's table features a small serving machine from Guangdong, a major manufacturing province.

"This year, we made a breakthrough by providing the Olympic table tennis event with an automatic serving table for referees, transforming the serve from manual to machine-assisted, which improves accuracy. Additionally, we supplied the Paris 2024 Olympics with 35,000 table tennis balls, with metrics such as roundness, hardness, and elasticity surpassing the standards set by the International Table Tennis Federation. These balls have a more stable center of gravity, better elasticity, and offer an improved hitting experience," said Liang Zhixiong, assistant to the general manager of Guangzhou Double Fish Sports ("Double Fish").

Liang noted that, boosted by events like the Olympics and the 15th National Games, sales of Double Fish competition-grade table tennis balls have increased by over 40% year-on-year.

"The rising excitement for the Paris 2024 Olympics has led to a peak in sports goods sales. Our orders from European countries have significantly increased this year, with a notable rise in orders from France. In the first six months, we exported over 35 million yuan worth of rackets to France, a year-on-year increase of about 40%, and we expect to export over 65 million yuanworth of products to France for the entire year," said Huang Yuwen, deputy manager of Heyuan Angtai Composite Materials Co., Ltd.

This is just one example of the booming Olympic economy benefiting many foreign trade businesses. Since transitioning from a pure manufacturing company to a cross-border e-commerce operation, Wu Sen, a sports protection seller, has seen his SHEIN store, which focuses on sports and outdoor products, grow by 30%-40% annually. This year, the demand has more than doubled due to the sports boom, with daily shipments exceeding 4,000 orders.

The competition between global and Chinese footwear brands

The Olympics have always been a key platform for footwear and apparel brands to showcase their products and brand strength, with many brands vying for attention at the Paris Games. Notably, Anta Sports is once again the sponsor of the Chinese sports delegation's award ceremony attire for this Paris 2024 Olympics, reflecting the rise of domestic brands through changes in sponsorship.

According to public information, Li Ning sponsors the Chinese table tennis, diving, and shooting teams. Biem.L.Fdlkk sponsors the Chinese golf team. Xtep is the official partner of the Chinese breakdancing team, and JOEONE is again supplying the Chinese sports delegation's opening ceremony suits. Chinese footwear and apparel companies are actively competing for their share of the "Olympic economy."

These companies are eager to seize the vast market opportunities beyond the games.

According to data from ZJQX (Beijing) International Information Consulting Co., Ltd., the retail market size for sports footwear and apparel in China is expected to reach 542.5 billion yuan by 2024, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.9% from 2020 to 2024. The white paper notes that the Greater China region is a key growth engine for many international sports brands, while the rapid market share growth of domestic brands presents new challenges for international competitors.

奥运带动体育消费热潮：中外鞋服品牌争相“秀肌肉”　

乘着巴黎奥运会的东风，诸多“中国制造”走向国际舞台。与此同时，奥运会作为鞋服行业展示产品和品牌实力的重要机会，中外各大鞋服品牌也在巴黎奥运会上展开角逐。

“广东造”出海大放异彩

乒乓球赛事正如火如荼举行。在赛场侧面的裁判台上，有一个小小的发球机，来自制造大省广东。

“今年我们突破性地为奥运乒乓球项目提供了裁判的自动发球桌，让发球从以往的手抛变成机器抛球，精准度更高。与此同时，我们为巴黎奥运会提供了3.5万颗乒乓球，球的圆度、硬度、弹性等指标均高于国际乒乓球联合会的标准，重心更稳，弹性更好，击打效果更佳。”

双鱼体育总经理助理梁志雄向记者表示，在奥运会、十五运等体育赛事的加持下，双鱼比赛级乒乓球的销售额同比增长了超40%。

“巴黎奥运会的热度逐渐上升，体育用品销售也迎来高峰。我们公司今年欧洲国家的订单量明显增长，其中法国订单涨幅较大。前6月我们生产的球拍出口法国超3500万元，同比增长约40%，预计全年出口法国超6500万元。”河源昂泰复合材料有限公司副经理黄玉文说。

这是奥运经济火热下众多外贸商家的缩影。自从选择从纯生产型企业转型做跨境电商以来，运动护具卖家吴森的主营运动户外用品的SHEIN店铺订单每年增长30%-40%。今年受到体育大年的影响，销量增长翻倍还多，日均出货达到4000多单。

中外鞋服品牌正面交锋

奥运会历来也是鞋服行业展示产品和品牌实力的重要平台，各大鞋服品牌在巴黎奥运会上角逐。值得注意的是，此次巴黎奥运会，安踏体育再次成为中国体育代表团领奖装备赞助商。在赞助商变化的过程中，也折射出国货的崛起历程。

除此之外，公开资料显示，本次奥运会，李宁手握中国乒乓球队、中国跳水队和中国射击队的赞助权；比音勒芬赞助了中国高尔夫球队；特步是中国霹雳舞国家队官方合作伙伴；九牧王再次成为中国体育代表团开幕式礼服的供应商^来自中国的鞋服企业们，也花式争抢”奥运经济”这块蛋糕。

这些企业如此摩拳擦掌，为的就是赛场外的广阔市场。

据中金企信数据统计，中国运动鞋服市场零售规模将在2024年达到5425亿元，对应2020—2024年CAGR（复合年增长率）增长12.9%。该白皮书表示，当前大中华区作为多个国际运动鞋服品牌业绩增长的重要引擎，中国本土品牌在国内市场占有率的快速增长，也为国际品牌带来新挑战。

文丨记者 孙绮曼 陈泽云 沈钊
翻译丨赵凡
英文审校丨洪婷